


house of glass

by greatduwangs



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Witchcraft, also not exactly hanahaki but inspired by it, if this gets out of hand blame my muse and yourselves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25219687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatduwangs/pseuds/greatduwangs
Summary: Hanahaki - a disease in which the victim slowly coughs up flower petals as plants begin to bloom in their lungs, sped up by the existence of unrequited love.All it takes is one bad performance for Ty Lee's world to come crumbling down, and lands her in the arms of the dreaded Sapphire Witch.
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), one-sided Ty Lee/Jin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	house of glass

It was common knowledge in the Earth Kingdom that trifling with witches was no a wise decision to make. Some would even say it was idiotic to antagonise someone with the power to curse you. One misstep and you could find yourself turned into a toad, or boiled alive and cooked for dinner.

Ty Lee was not stupid, no matter what some members of the circus tried to claim. Yes, she was bubbly, and far too optimistic for other’s own liking, but she wasn’t _dumb_. If only they knew that she was perhaps one of the smartest there – after all, not all of them attended academy, nor did they share the same knowledge of the human anatomy that she did. So, no, she would never try to mess with a witch. In fact, she would rather go on her whole life without meeting one.

At twenty, Ty Lee felt perfectly content with her life. While her blood family was well-behind her, her new family, the circus, gave her more warmth than anyone from home ever did. Especially from her blood family. Just as she was part of a matched set with seven identical sisters, here she could express her own individuality with freedom. Her aura had never been pinker.

Ty Lee looked at the world before her. The sky laid out in the bottom of her vision, looking like an ocean with crystal-clear water, and grass was envisioned as the sky itself. She breathed in, focusing her energy on the palms of her hands, and stayed steady in the handstand position. 

“Hey, Ty!”

She didn’t stumble or fall, but she was surprised to hear her name called out. Flipping the right-side-up, she brushed the dirt off her pants and smiled. “Jin! How’s rehearsal going?”

Jin, a young girl with wild brown hair and quite impressive acting-chops, scratched the back of her neck. “Oh, you know,” she laughed nervously.

Her aura felt far too blue.

“I was coming because – uh, I needed some help with some choreography,” Jin said. “I thought you might be able to help me. You know, because of the flexible thing?”

Ty Lee flashed Jin an encouraging grin, bowing her head slightly. “I would be honoured to.”

Jin was one of the actors for the Reaper of Omashu play they were performing in the drama tent. In fact, she was one of the lead actors – a fearless heroine who finds herself ensnared in the dramatic life that is the Reaper. The circus often put on plays, cycling through them every six months, and they turned out to be quite popular with nobles. Ty Lee was sure this one would be no exception; the Reaper of Omashu was a classic. 

The pair travelled to the theatre tent, gossiping along the way about current going-ons of the circus, and the town they were staying at. It certainly wasn’t as extravagant as some of the other towns they’d visited; then again, she preferred it like that. People were much more humble in small towns. And living in a cottage sounded just too cute!

They continued talking all the way through rehearsal. It just felt _natural_ for Ty Lee to do so, and she loved nothing more than to see Jin smile. The whole world seemed to light up when Jin beamed, just like the sun shining down on the earth. As the pair practiced their dances, a slight blush crept up to Ty Lee’s cheeks.

It was then, when Jin tried to dip Ty Lee, that everything fell apart. Time slowed down as Ty Lee felt herself falling further and further away – until she was off the stage, lying on a crumpled heap on the ground, her legs feeling as if they were _burning_.

“Ty Lee!” Jin gasped, rushing down to the house. “Ty Lee, are you okay?”

Ty Lee moaned, rubbing her ankle. It had swollen up, and looked to be quite bruised. She was in no fit state to perform that evening, even she could tell that just by looking at the wound.

Feeling that Jin was about to go into a state of panic, Ty Lee quickly swallowed hard and stood up, grinning from ear to ear. Jin froze just before she reached the other girl.

“I’m all good!” said Ty Lee, exaggerating the ‘all’ by holding her arms up high. To prove it, she stood on her hands – and was careful not to put too much weight on her bad leg when coming back down.

Jin still didn’t look convinced. “Take it easy, Ty.” She furrowed her brows. “You should cancel tonight.”

“No!” Ty Lee yelled. Upon seeing the hurt expression on Jin’s face, she softened her voice. “I mean – I can’t just cancel like that. Think of all the people waiting to see me!”

“But – ”

“And I’m _fine_ ” – she held up her leg – “see? All good.”

Jin bit her bottom lip, looking upon her friend in concern. Ty Lee grinned and beared the pain; it was better than letting the audience be disappointed. Finally, Jin sighed, and Ty Lee let her foot down gently.

“Will you _promise_ to cancel if it gets any worse?” Jin’s voice was shaking.

Ty Lee made an unhappy sound. “Of course I will!”

It was a lie.

Sensing her friend’s aura was bluer than ever, Ty Lee stepped forward and embraced Jin in warmth. Jin melted into Ty Lee’s arms, and her aura settled to a lighter shade, to purple. Her hair smelt of berries and wood. Ty Lee wished she could have stayed there for an eternity, but alas, they let go of each other and stepped away.

Ty Lee gasped. “Practice! I’m late for practice!” She frantically jogged to the exit of the tent, careful not to put weight on her bad leg. If Jin noticed her slight limp, she didn’t say anything.

“See you tonight, Ty,” Jin said, but it was barely a whisper to Ty Lee, who was already hurrying for the main tent. 

When she arrived, the ringmaster looked up at her with something that looked almost like worry in his eyes. Ty Lee paused, wondering if he somehow found out about her accident. But when he approached her and took her hands in his own, she got the feeling it was about something else entirely.

“Ty Lee!” the ringmaster breathed. “Thank goodness you’re here! I was afraid you were – you were – oh, it’s so horrid I can’t even say it!”

He was sweating profusely, and his whole body was quivering. Ty Lee pulled her hands away from his, feeling a little too scared at whatever was happening. Normally the ringmaster was a kind and composed old fellow, but this – he was utterly terrified.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked.

Without a second beat, he answered. “Witches!” He threw his hands up in the air. “Witches, I tell you! They’ve come to curse us, I’ll bet!”

She swallowed. “Witches? Here?” 

The circus always seemed like it was safe from them. The wicked witches and warlocks that roamed the land, cursing innocents wherever they went and destroying towns as they saw fit. Ty Lee had heard stories, of course, of the dangers of witches. Parents often used them as warnings for naughty children, but they were no legends – they were completely true. She was lucky to have spent twenty years of her life without meeting one.

Her luck just ran out.

“Yes, here!” the ringmaster exclaimed. “Oh, but – but don’t panic, now! That’s the last thing we need!”

“O-Okay, okay! Not panicking,” Ty Lee said.

The ringmaster fell down to his chair, running a hand through his thin hair. “I saw them before – twins. Old ladies. Big, loopy ears.” A sigh passed through his lips. “They’re coming to see the show tonight.”

Ty Lee bit her bottom lip. “It’ll be safe, right?”

He smiled wearily at her. “I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you,” he said. “Just promise me you’ll treat the witches with respect. Otherwise, they’ll surely turn us all to toads.” He shuddered.

She gave him a small salute before she was off to practice her routine for the night. The recent news had done little good for her stress, not to mention her leg. If she messed up her routine tonight, her life could be over. Literally.

The kingdom had been on edge on the topic of witches ever since the disappearance of the princess. It had been apparent that the young woman had been kidnapped by a witch, and her family was distraught. Ty Lee didn’t take much notice of politics, but she at least knew that much – the royal family was in disarray. Luckily the circus travelled from town to town, and they rarely if ever visited the capital, so she never really saw the consequences of the princess missing. Just a larger influx of witch hunters in the country.

As for Ty Lee, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was terrified of witches. Despite having never met one herself, she’d heard horror stories of what they were capable of. Quite frankly, she didn’t like the idea of being boiled alive herself. 

She began stretching in the corner while time quickly passed in the circus, and soon the seats were filled with eager boys, girls, and people of all ages waiting to see the show. Ty Lee waited on the side, watching as the ringmaster and other performers did their own stunts and tricks to wow the audience. Finally, it was her turn.

Stepping up to the platform, Ty Lee felt all eyes on her. She’d gotten used to the pain in her leg by now. Stepping on the tightrope was easy, it felt like second-nature to her. Her gaze drifted through the crowd, until it finally rested on _them_.

A pair of old ladies – twins, by the looks of it – sitting in a dark corner by themselves, surrounded by empty seats. Their earlobes hung down low, hooked noses and lines indicating their old age etched onto their faces. Both of them sat completely still, staring at Ty Lee. She felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as she slowly walked across the tightrope, balancing while trying not to stare at the witches.

Alas, the temptation was too much for her, and she found herself glancing at the witches every now and again. 

One of them was murmuring something under her breath, looking straight at her, while the other nodded along. Fear shot up Ty Lee’s body – what if the witch was muttering a curse? – before she tried to calm herself down. It was pointless to think about such things, now. And what reason would they have to curse her? She’d done nothing wrong to them.

Just as she moved to perform her next balancing act, pain shot through her leg. It was the same searing pain she’d experienced just before, only this time it somehow got _worse_. Her hands instinctively flailed and, in just a short moment, she fell – landing on the net.

The crowd gasped. Then a little boy giggled. Soon, the entire audience had erupted into jeers and laughter.

Ty Lee blinked back tears. Never had she ever experienced such _humiliation_ in her life. It was downright horrid – and it was _all that witch’s fault_. She wiped at her eyes before storming out of the tent with a limp, blushing furiously and ignoring the heckles from the crowd. The ringmaster called to her, but she didn’t listen. She didn’t want to listen, not to pity, not at that moment.

She brushed past Jin on the way to her own tent. The other girl looked concerned for her – _pitying_ , even. She couldn’t bare to listen to what Jin had to say, whatever condolences or sympathetic words she had. Ty Lee just wanted to stay in her tent and shut out the world.

Never before had she failed. She was supposed to be perfect, the laughter was supposed to be with her, not at her. It was downright humiliating, and for what?

She nursed her bruised leg, seething between her teeth. The witches. It was all their fault. One of them must have been muttering a curse upon her – for what reason, she had no idea. What did Ty Lee ever do to them? Ty Lee had been nothing but kind to her audience, she wanted nothing more than to make them happy (not at the expense of her own pride, though). So what reason could the witch have to ruin her performance like that?

As she sat fuming, she didn’t notice the entrance flap of her tent lift up, nor did she notice the ringmaster taking a seat. It was only when he sighed that she looked up and pouted.

“Here to offer sympathies?” she said bitterly. A pause. “Sorry.”

He shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” His gaze rested on her leg. It was swollen, red, and looked as if it had seen better days. “I would have cancelled your performance tonight.””

“That’s why I didn’t want you to.” Her voice was soft. “Performing is my life, I can’t just-”

Something was caught in her throat, stopping her from saying any more. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes and her whole body shook. The ringmaster gave her a concerned look before pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Oh, my child,” he murmured. “You’re far too reckless sometimes.”

Ty Lee quietly sobbed into her mentor’s shoulder. “D-Did I ruin the show?” she choked out.

He rubbed her back and pulled her away to look at her face to face. “You did not ruin _anything_. You are a kind and remarkable young girl who made a mistake – it was no harm to the audience, but it was harm to you.” The pair glanced at the red swelling on her leg. “You’d best get that checked out. I’ll send for the nurse as soon as I can.”

She wiped at her eyes, forcing a smile. “Thanks, sir.”

“In the meanwhile, enjoy the night,” he said. “Here” – he took out his purse and dropped a few silver pieces onto her bed- “for fire flakes.”

Ty Lee would have jumped up and hugged the man if the pain in her leg wasn’t searing. But it was, so instead she bowed politely, resting her fist on her palm. The ringmaster left her tent, and she was left staring at the flaps, thinking to herself.

Deciding that her thoughts were much too dreary that eve to dwell upon, Ty Lee slowly stood up, grasping the silver pieces in her hands and placing them in her pockets. Time to find some fire flakes.

The audience seemed to have already forgotten her little blunder in the main tent, as they all walked around happily, ignoring her and focused instead on their own activities. Some of them played with the golden koi fish, others happily munched on mochi, families sat on picnic blankets and enjoyed their time together. Ty Lee found her heart twinge at the sight – but she swallowed it down, and smiled at the scene. 

Her joy was short-lived. 

Before she could even approach the fire flakes cart, she spotted them. A pair of grey-haired old women, strolling along the pathway as if they had done nothing wrong, their hands in their sleeves and an unreadable expression on their faces. Ty Lee froze, her heart pounding in her chest. 

They passed by her.

She whipped around, red in the face. “Excuse me?”

The twins either couldn’t hear her, or they were ignoring her. Ty Lee found that both options were infuriating to her.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!”

Finally, they froze in their tracks. Others passing by froze for a moment and glanced at Ty Lee, before their gaze would come across the witches and they continued on walking, as if they didn’t see anything. The twins slowly turned around.

“It is not wise to yell at a witch, young child,” one of them said.

“Especially not two of them,” the other added.

Ty Lee fumed and pointed at one of them – it didn’t matter which one, they were both at fault as far as she was concerned. “Do you have something against me?”

One of them raised her brows. “Why would we?”

“We’ve never met before,” said the other.

“Well, I don’t know why – but you two sabotaged my performance!” she accused them both, glaring daggers at the twins.

The witches paused. “My dear…”

“What reason could we have…”

“…to sabotage you?”

It was a good question. One Ty Lee herself didn’t know the answer to. “I don’t know! I don’t know how you witches work!” She stomped her good leg. “But I saw you! You were muttering some weird curses and I fell!”

One of them narrowed her eyes. “I’d be careful if I were you. Witches are not to be trifled with.”

Ty Lee scowled and stormed past them, bumping shoulders with one of them on the way. The old ladies didn’t move an inch as she returned to her tent, stomach empty of fire flakes – too furious to even eat any. She fell down onto her bed, and after hours of tossing and turning, she blacked out.

She woke up in a greenhouse. Glass surrounded her from all sides, shrubbery dangling down from the ceiling, and almost every inch of the house was covered with plants. Ty Lee slowly stood up, gazing in awe at the sight. Never before had she seen such a magnificent feast for the eyes. Not even the Earth Kingdom had anything to offer like this garden of wonders.

Taking a step forward, careful not to trample on any flowers, Ty Lee wondered the greenhouse, the tranquil scenery of bamboo and fire-lilies filling her with a certain sense of peace and calm that she had not felt for a while. Perhaps it was the pink and white aura that this place was giving off, or perhaps it was the gentle whisper of the wind outside that relaxed her so much.

Something bugged her, at the back of her mind, as she strolled aimlessly. As if she was missing something, searching for something, but she couldn’t remember what. She was lost.

Finally, she stopped. Before her stood a glass door, and outside was a bamboo forest, too think to see through. Ty Lee reached out to grab the doorknob – before she retracted her hand, crying out in pain and cradling it close to her chest. The doorknob was white-hot.

Beyond the glass, she could see azure flames steadily approaching from the forest, engulfing the bamboo in their burning embrace. The fires flickered and danced, reaching the greenhouse. The roar of the flames was overwhelming Ty Lee, but yet she could still feel her racing heart pound against her chest. 

She turned around, panting. Another exit – there had to be some other way out of here!

Just as she took another step, she felt something cold tug at her shoulder. She turned her head to look, and stifled a scream.

A vine greeted her. The green monstrosity was wrapping itself around her arm, entrapping her within its tight grasp. Red roses bloomed from parts of the vine, thorns digging into her skin. 

Ty Lee didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to get out of there – out of that nightmare garden. She pounded at the door, against the azure flames, and cried out for help, her words choked out by the vines that continued to grab her. Sobs wrecked her body and she fell to her knees, reaching out.

The door opened.

Ty Lee woke up with a start.

Perspiration ran down her body as she shook, skin ashen and tired eyes struggling to keep focus. Dawn was just beginning to break, light shining through the fabric of the tent. Ty Lee sat up and ran a hand through her hair. She’d experienced nightmares before, of course, but never that intensely. Never with such a sense of dread.

It all felt so real. Everything, from the heat of the flames to the vines ensnaring her in its grip. She reached out to rub her shoulder instinctively.

And paused.

For where there was supposed to be skin, there was something else. Something that felt suspiciously like… tree bark.

Gasping, Ty Lee quickly stumbled outside, hissing when she accidentally put her weight on her bad leg, and adjusted her eyes to the sudden light. The circus was empty in the mornings, most of the workers resting from last night. Luckily for her. No one could see her, no one could be witness to the horror that fell upon her face as she gazed upon what was once her shoulder. For instead, there was a mark – a tree bark, with a tiny flower, not yet blossomed, hanging on a small branch.

Ty Lee tugged at the flower and scratched at the mark, but no matter how hard she tried it wouldn’t budge off. It was like it was stuck on her – a part of her now. She swallowed back a scream and went to the only person she thought she could trust with such a situation.

“Jin! Jin!” she cried out, limping into Jin’s tent. The actress was still sleeping soundly in her bed, dressed in her costume from last night’s performance. “Jin, wake up!”

Jin yawned and rubbed her eyes groggily. She sat up, hair even messier than usual and dark shadows beneath her eyes. “Wha – why so early…?”

She looked at her friend with half-asleep eyes, blinking a few times. Then, her eyes widened.

“Ty – your – your arm!”

Ty Lee grabbed her shoulder, biting her bottom lip. The thought had suddenly occurred to her that whatever was happening to her might be contagious. If Jin got infected with it – she would never forgive herself. 

As Jin took a step forward, Ty Lee took a step back, maintaining her distance. “Don’t come near me!” Ty Lee said, urgency in her tone. “It might spread.”

Although she looked as if she was going to argue, Jin decided against it. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. I just woke up and – and my shoulder was like this.”

A sudden gasp erupted from her lips. Realisation sunk in, and dread grasped at her heart with its icy claws. She brought her hands to her mouth.

“The witches!”

Jin paled. “Witches?”

“There were witches here last night,” Ty Lee explained. “They saw my performance and they sabotaged it – I tried confronting them about it but then – I’ve made a terrible mistake!”

Panic settled into her stomach, and suddenly she felt like throwing up. It was only when Jin approached her, rubbing her back and comforting her as best she could, that her worry eased. She caught sight of that sympathetic smile, smelled the scent of wild berries, and the incoming panic attack was over before it could even begin. Jin offered up a worried grin.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Everything will be okay, Ty.”

Ty Lee threw up.

But something was strange. For what escaped her mouth was not a disgusting mess of yesterday’s lunch, but… petals. Flower petals drifted to the floor of the tent, pink and red and white and all sorts of warm hue colours. Jin gasped at the sight, while Ty Lee remained perfectly still, staring at the petals with a mix of horror and confusion.

Cursed. She was cursed. That was the only explanation. She was cursed with a witch’s spell, and now she was going to die a slow and painful death.

“Ty Lee…” Jin started.

Ty Lee stumbled back, and felt something strange on her bad leg. She looked down. A flower had sprouted by her ankle.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and this time Ty Lee didn’t try to supress them. Her body moved on its own.

She ran. She ran as fast as she could, out of the tent, out of the circus, out of the damn _kingdom_. As far away from people as possible – she could live by herself, in a small cottage somewhere by the sea, and find a cure all by herself. She could hunt down those witches and demand they fix her. 

She was a freak now. A real circus freak.

Running past the ringmaster’s tent, she vaguely heard Jin running behind her, calling out her name. Another voice soon joined hers, and then there was a whole group of circus performers chasing after her. Ty Lee tried to ignore them as best as she could, even running straight past the platypus bear she’d called a friend, and sprinted straight for the forest.

The forest was thick and full of fog. It would be impossible to navigate without a proper guide. But Ty Lee didn’t care. She just wanted to escape. To keep the others safe from her.

Slowly but surely the sound of chasing footsteps and cries quietened, until they stopped completely. Still, Ty Lee ran through the thicket, heart racing and legs aching. For now, she was well and truly alone.

* * *

After what felt like hours, Ty Lee finally felt she was far enough away from the circus to rest easy. As to why she ran, she had no explanation – perhaps she was afraid of infecting them all. Perhaps the world just suddenly seemed far too scary for her. Or, perhaps, there was some other divine force intervening and forcing her body to move on its own. Whatever that case was, it was too late now.

Ty Lee slumped down against a large tree, resting against its trunk and gazing at her surroundings. She was truly lost. All she could see through the fog was the thick thicket of the forest, and all she could hear was the chirping of insects. Shivering, she pulled her legs to her chest, trying to ignore the flower on her ankle, and buried her head in her knees. It felt far too cold.

She felt far too alone. 

Then again, it was her fault. In her moment of panic, fear clouded her judgement. She could have just as easily found a cure with the circus. They were her only lead to the witches.

She slapped a palm against her forehead. “Stupid! Stupid Ty Lee!”

There was no response from anyone.

Having had enough of sitting around – besides, it wasn’t doing her any good – she stood up, wincing when pain drove up her leg. How she managed to sprint for so long while ignoring her leg, she didn’t know, but now each step felt like she was stepping on hot coals. She leaned on the tree for support for a moment, her… infected shoulder touching with the trunk.

_Oh, my dear child._

She jolted. Whipping her head around, she saw no one. But yet she _heard_ something. An ancient voice – no, a hundred voices, whispering gently yet she heard it as if it were clear as day. Ty Lee raised her fists.

“Who’s there?” she demanded, her voice wavering. “I know how to fight!”

_You may. But that would be impossible against us._

There was a hint of amusement in their voice. Ty Lee felt chills running down her spine.

“Who are you?”

_We have lived for thousands of years, child. We know our brethren when we meet them. Like roots digging into the underground – we are all connected._

Roots. Ty Lee’s gaze drifted from the fog, to the trunk of the tree, and then to her shoulder. A gasp escaped her lips. Realisation settled in.

She was talking to a tree.

_So young, and so lost… what is it that you seek?_

Oh, spirits. This was far too bizarre for her tastes. Just as she was about to pull away, she froze, thinking of her situation. As far as she could tell, she was completely alone in the forest. This tree may be her only chance to find a way out, or to find a cure.

Swallowing, she said, “I’m looking for a cure. For – whatever disease I have.”

The tree remained silent.

“Please. I don’t want to – I don’t want to die.”

_Worry not, child. You will not die._

Relief sunk into her heart.

_Your destiny lies in the heart of the forest. Go there, and you will find what you need._

“But – I don’t know where I am!” Spirits, she must have looked insane, talking to herself like that. “How am I supposed to know where to go?”

_Satori will guide you._

Just as the tree spoke, Ty Lee heard something approaching her. Something that sounded like hooves stepping onto the dirt came closer and closer, until finally it stopped just behind her. Ty Lee released her shoulder from the tree and looked behind her.

A magnificent deer stood before her, glowing bright green and with three heads, all bowing before her gently. None of them seemed to have eyes. Ty Lee gasped quietly, and reached with her hand to touch the creature. One of the deer’s heads leaned into her hand as she pet it. 

“Satori?” she asked. She’d never seen a spirit before.

The deer looked at her, its antlers looking like a crown upon its three heads. She supposed she would have to take that as a ‘yes’. Cautiously wandering to the spirit’s side, yet still gazing in utter awe, she swallowed down the pain and climbed onto its back. One of its heads looked back at her, the one on the centre looked straight ahead, and the last one stared at the tree she was talking to. 

After a moment of stillness, Satori began its trek, Ty Lee hugging it tightly from behind. It never broke into a gallop, but she still feared that it would – and she would fall off. One of the spirit’s heads kept looking back at her, almost expectantly. She only responded by giving it a pet on the forehead, which seemed to satisfy it. The head shook merrily, while the one on the opposite side snorted. 

Such a strange creature.

Satori and Ty Lee continued their journey to a destination only one of them knew. The forest they trekked through was haunting yet eerily beautiful, as she saw not one other soul around them. Sometimes she swore that she could see little white figures scuttling behind trees. Insects, most likely.

She told herself that, at least. It made her feel comfortable, and not at all terrified out of her wits. 

Eventually, Ty Lee came to rest upon Satori’s back, melting into the rhythm every time Satori took a step forward. It was only when she felt a slight heat, inching closer and closer towards her, that she finally sat up, and laid her sights on what lied before her.

She gasped.

The ruins of a castle, crumbling and dark – almost charred black from some long-forgotten battle – stood in the centre of the forest, clear from any fog or foliage. Its dark and swindling towers rose high up in the sky, yet a dark smoke gave it the illusion of infinite night time. Below the castle, where one would expect a moat to be, laid a river of fire. Yet these flames were not a typical orange.

They were blue. 

Yet there was something unspeaking melancholic about the castle. Some sort of loneliness and sadness washed over Ty Lee as she stared at it, transfixed by its ethereal beauty. Her fascination was short-lived, however, as Satori stopped right in front of it and bowed down – a hint for her to get off it. She slid off the spirit’s back, eyes still fixed on the castle, and pet it absently. The head that had been paying attention to her nuzzled her cheeks, before the spirit turned and began to walk back into the fog.

“W-Wait!” Ty Lee cried out. “This can’t be it! It’s too – no one could possibly live here!”

Satori ignored her, and disappeared completely, leaving behind glowing green dust. Ty Lee’s heart raced in her chest, her blood rushing to her ears. She slowly turned around and faced the castle. A bridge laid out before her, flames dancing and flickering beneath it. 

“Okay Ty Lee,” she said to herself, breathing in. “You got this. You’ve already dealt with witches, you’ve done stuff like this plenty of times. N-nothing scary about this at all.”

She limped forward, taking the first step across the bridge. The flames beneath her feet sparked for a moment, before they cleared a path for her. She stared down at the embers that remained in confusion. The fires on either side of the bridge and the moat still remained, so what made these ones so special?

There was only one explanation.

Magic.

Ty Lee gulped and weighed her options. If she turned back now, she would surely become lost – there was no guarantee she’d ever find Satori again. If she kept going forward, she had no idea what would happen. But it couldn’t be good.

She thought back to her dream. The blue flames beyond the green house. Maybe the universe was trying to tell her something.

Whatever the case may be, Ty Lee continued walking forward, one step at a time. When she reached the massive, half-broken double doors that laid out in the entrance of the castle, she knocked on it softly. 

No answer.

Ty Lee pushed on one of the doors, and it opened with a creak. Swallowing, she took a step inside. “Hello? Is anyone in here?”

“And just what are you doing in my home?”


End file.
